Fiber-cleaning machine



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FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Fi'led Feb. 4. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1, 1929- F. P. GARDNER FIBER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1928 i 2 Sheets-Sheet enema Dec. 31, 1.929

r'nnnnnrca r. eanmvna, or am roan, n. Y.,' Assrcnon ro rnnnrconn name, or new roan, 33. an, a conroaarron' or new roan ?ATE @FFiQE} INCORPQ- FIBER-CLEANING MACHHWE Application filed reentr a, ices. Serial no. meat.

This invention relates to machines for separating and cleaning fiber from fiber bearing plants such as hemp, flax, jute, ramie or the like, and has for its object the provision of means for obtaining long ribbon-like fiber or fine hair-like fiber from fiber yielding plants, in the formof line fiber or tow a ma be desired.

nether object of the invention provides means for removin the woody core even from green or unretted fiber stalks, said means ooo crating in conjunction with means for c caning said fiber as a continuous operation.

A still further object of my invention includes the provision 0t a simple and comparatively inexpensive machine which may readily moved about in the field and operated where the fiber producing plants are grown and harvested. The machine is, moreover,

capable of eficiently cleaning green or wet fiber yielding straws, or it may be used for efificiently cleaning the retted and dried fiber yielding straws or straws in any degree of retted condition as occasion may require.

A further object includes the construction and arrangement of adjustably held breaking blades to co-act with variably spaced moying striker blades to break and free the woody core from the fiber.

A still further object includes the provision of means for receiving and conveying away from the breaker device the fiber whether line or tow, green or retted without snarling, tangling or winding and delivering said fiber in an orderly and uniform manner. By reason of its construction and operation I also polish the fiber by said conveying means.

. l obtain these objects by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation shown partly in section of a preferred form of construction;

Fig. 2 is a view taken from the front or left hand side of the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the right hand side of the machine of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are front and plan views respeictively of the stationary breaker blades; an

Figs. 6 and 7 show respective sections of the vertically and of the horizontally disposed members operating as conveyors and scrubbers. 1

The same reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The known machines for obtaining and cleaning fiber from such plants as hemp, flax, ute, and the like, required for successful operation that the plant stalks be retted and dry so as to break the woody core and then separate the broken woody core or chives from the fiber. In the operation of the known machines some long fiber and much short crumpled fiber was always produced.

By the use of my improved fiber cleaning machine I am enabled to successfully, thoroughly and quickly clean the fibers from fiber bearing plant stalks that are taken directly from the field, unretted and even undried. My machine is, moreover, capable of roducing any grade from long ribbon-like fiber to fine tow from either green or wet straw, or from the retted and dry stalks.

1n the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferred form of construction which is suited for the objects stated. I do not, however, desire to be understood thereby as having thus limited myself, as various modifications falling within the spirit and scope of my invention will suggest themselves to those versed in the art.

Referring now to'the drawings, I provide a frame 10 having a base 11 for supporting the elements that constitute my improved fiber cleaning machine.

On the upper part of the frame, in suitable bearings, I provide feed rolls 12, 13 and 14, 15 having gears 16 on the ends for driving said rolls in pairs, to thereby feed the fiber bearing stalks or straws into the machine at a uniform speed and in an orderly manner.

Adjacent the feed rolls just described I provide a number of horizontally disposed blades 17, 18, 19, 20. These blades which I will call breaker blades are provided with slots 21 through which extend bolts 22 for securing together said blades with spacer blocks 23. The blades are adjusted as a unit by means of set-screws'24 operating in the guide plate 25. These blades are beveled as shown and are adjustable vertically by varyin the thickness of blocks 23. They are also adjustable in horizontal positions independently of each other by reason of slots 21 and bolts 22.

This construction permits adjustments of the breaker blades 17, 18, 19 and 20 for the purpose stated more fully hereinafter. A small roll 26 sup lements the pairs of feed rolls inguiding t e material over the upper breaker blade into breaking position.

A cylindrical member 27 having radically dis osed blades 29 is mounted on a shaft 28 in t e upper part of the machine frame. This shaft is provided with a drive pulley 33, a flywheel 34 and sprocket 35. A chain 36 drives the machine from the drive shaft sprocket 35, as will be stated more fully below.

It will be noted that the blades 29 (hereinafter to be known as the striker blades) are set in siots 30 and are, in a preferred construction, grouped in pairs with a narrow s ace 31 nearly filled to the beveled striking e ge 32 of the blades, which space is alternate by a wider space 31. This wider space is more open to provide room for the longer pieces of the woody core of the plant stalk and to efi'ectively remove larger pieces of the woody material in the operation of the machine. The slets 30 are variously spaced and combinations of two, three or even more blades may be made for diiierent grades of material to be produced from widely differing fiber producing plants.

From the construction shown'in Fig. 1 it will be noted that the breaker blades are beveled from the under side, while the striker blades are beveled from the upper side and that the successive breaker blades from the top down are adjusted to provide varying distances between the edges of the striker blades and the breaker blades. As an example it is found that a distance of of an inch at the upper blade will produce good line fiber while a distance of will yield mostly tow. The breaker blades are, therefore, adjusted to meet the conditions of .the material and to supply the desired product. In the drawing I have shown the successive lower blades (i. e. 18, 19 and 20) to be each set back a little farther but in some cases this regularity will vary, that is the second blade may be set back a little more than the third, to thus provide for more pronounced breaking action. Conditions requiring more pronounced breaker action are apt to arise where the straw is green or wet, or both green and wet.

I will now describe the conveying and scrubbing mechanism, whereby the fiber is carried away from the breakers and is freed of any adhering pieces of woody core or chives.

Immediately beneath the striker and breaker blades I provide means for receiving and carrying away the line fiber, tow or in-- veyor 41. The distance between slats 45 and and belts or their equivalents, may e emtermediate fiber. Said means comprises a system of aprons or conveyors arranged in vertical er receiving section and in horizontal or polishing section. The aprons or conveyors are of open construction of wooden or metal slats (45 or 46) held on chains 42 whereby the fiber is separated from any adhering .woody core pieces which by reason of the open conveyor fall through the con: veyors and sprockets.

The chains 42' pass over sprockets 4O suitably spaced and supported. The vertical portion of apron 41 and its adjacent apron 42 move in unison and sprocket 43 is so place that apron 42 keeps the fiber from traveling with the striker blade and tangle or Wind the fiber, this is a great advantage as it prevents winding and tangling. Apron 41 with its adjacent apron 42 grabs and pulls the broken and partially cleaned fiber material, as it leaves the striker blades by reason of the nearness of the apron 42 when it passes over its upper supporting roll 43. A lower drive roll 44 supports the apron in position to engage and guide the fiber material with the aid of apron 41. Both aprons are alike in construction and they travel at the same speed so as to hold the fiber between slats 45 and 46 which are staggered to more firmly hold the fiber. The portion of the conveyor just described carries the fiber vertically and will be known as the vertical portion of the conveyor system. It will be noted that conveyor 41 passes over a second sprocket 47, which is directly below sprocket 40, and then said ccnveyor passes horizontally over a third sprocket 48 to thus form the horizontal section. A short horizontal apron 49, supported and driven from sprockets50 and 51 forms with the horizontal section the polishing section of the conveyor, because slats 52 on conveyor 49 are in contact with slats 45 en conveyor 41 and conveyor 49 moves faster than conno 52 (Fig. 7) can be adjusted to give any de gree of polishing to the fiber and to remove adhering pieces of woody core.

The conveyor sprockets are driven by a chain 53 from a sprocket 54 which is geared with drive 55 on sprocket 56. It will be noted that chain 53 passes over idlers 61 and '62 in order to give the right direction to sprocket 51. Sprocket 50 is driven from sprocket 44 by a chain or belt 57 The feed rolls 13 and '15 are driven from chain 58 and *roIi 26 is driven by chain 59. I have shown and de-' scribed sprockets and chains as the driving means, but obviously other means as ulleys plo ed if desired.

he machine may also be mounted onwheels or sledges (not shown) for readily moving the same from place to place in the field where the fiber plants are grown and harvested thus saving the cost of hauling the of fixed blades over which fiber yielding plants are adapted to be bent and broken, in combination with a plurality of striker blades, means for moving said striker'blades in fixed paths to successively pass in front of said fixed blades for breaking the woody core out of said fiber, aconveyor for receiving and carrying the fiber, and means co-acting with said fiber receivin and carrying conveyorfor scouring said fiber as it is carried on said conveyor.

2. In a fiber cleaning machine, the combination of breaker blades having beveled edges and means for securing said blades in a dj usted positions, of a cylindrical member having slots offset by ridges, blades held in said slots adjacent said ridges, said blades being spaced to accommodate chives of varying lengths, an apron for receiving and conveying fiber material and a polishing apron coacting with said first named apron to remove adhering wood parts.

j 3. .In a fiber cleanihg machine, a plurality of blades arranged vertically one above the other, said blades having beveled edges over which fiber plants are bent and broken, striker blades and means to rotate said striker blades in front of the beveled edges of said vertically arranged blades, conveyor sprockets to support said conveyor in planes substantiall at right angles to each other and independent conveyor members cooperating with said conveyor sections.

4. In a fiber cleaning machine, fiber breaking mechanism in combination with uni-- formly moving apron section followed by an apron section of members disposed face to face and movingat difierent rates, said sections disposed at an angle to each other.

5. In a fiber cleaning machine, fiber breaking mechanism in combination with uniformly moving apron section verticaliy disposed and formed by two aprons moving at substantially the same rate and-a second apron section comprisin members one of which moves at a rate ifiering from that of its companion, said second apron section disposed at an angle to said first named section.

6. In a fiber cleaning machine, fiber breaking mechanism in combination with uniformly moving apron section vertically dis posed and formed by two aprons moving uniformly face to face and having slats arranged in staggered relation, :1 second apron section disposed to move at an angle to said first named section, and means for moving a portion of said apron section faster than its opposing portion.

7. In a fiber cleaning machine, the combination of a plurality of breaker blades and means for supporting said blades at predetermined positions, means for feeding fiber bearing plant stalks over said blades, of a cylindrical member mounted to rotate in front of said blades, said cylindrical member having spines and parallel grooves in the surface of said cylindrical member, striker blades set in such grooves for bending and breaking said plant stalks when said cylindrical member is rotated, and a conveyor system cooperating with said striker blades to receive and remove the fiber from said striker blades to prevent the fiber from winding about the cylindrical member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st da of February, A. D. 1928.

" FREDE ICK P. GARDNER. 

